


make your peace, you won't have it long

by Transistors



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canon Compliant, F/F, Hugs, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 18:31:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15515967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transistors/pseuds/Transistors
Summary: She is well aware, far too aware, really, that she will not be able to stop The Boss from going out onto this mission - and she does not try, not really, fitting into a not-quiet, anxious silence that tells Strangelove she will never see the other woman, ever again. Even then, she makes one final plea, just to hear what the other has to say.





	make your peace, you won't have it long

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I just wanna put an FYI: I have not played the metal gear games. This was written for my friend who I am doing an art trade with, and she looked it over and told me it was fine. I'm posting this up for her! I hope you enjoyed this; I tried my best to read up on Strangelove and The Boss's bios to write this.

The day looks wonderful – the sun’s warm hue settling deep over the horizon, the large star rising up ever so slowly up into the clear, cloudless sky, and Strangelove can only stare out the window, waiting patiently for Joy to wake up. Anxiety gnaws at her very being, making her hands tremble while she waits and waits for five-thirty to hit – it’s so early, the days so long and the restlessness hanging heavy in her chest while she waits.

Everything is still, today – or the coming today, as it is. The entire facility, silent, laying in rest for the very moment that Joy will come on by, confident, charming, nigh-on unapproachable yet – Strangelove fiddles with her fingers, thumbs pressing against each other to the point that a numbing sensation spreads all throughout her palms, amplified only by the nervousness and unease she feels at what Joy is about to do today.

Today may be the last time she will ever get to see her, after all, a risk so – so uncalculated, so uncertain of, yet still a probability that _something_ will happen to The Boss and she can’t – she can’t bring herself to let the woman go out onto what is in her eyes, essentially, a suicide mission. Something nasty coils in her belly, a fear so raw and a desire so unwanted that she nearly recoils, pushes herself away with a nasty skid from the window as the sun rises up finally – unkindly warm and accusatory, a reflection of the blame onto Strangelove even if nothing is yet to happen.

Her heart slams against her ribcage, ratting the bones and making her gasp out, a hand clasping at her chest to try and settle the unease that grips her, though she is not given long to try and soothe her own thoughts before a familiar voice is breaking her out of her daze, “doctor Strangelove. I didn’t expect to see you awake so early – are you going to do some warm-ups to prepare for today’s mission?” her voice is strong, energetic in spite of it being so bright and early, and even Strangelove finds herself struggling with staying awake right now.

“I… well, yes. In my own way.” Strangelove answers, a bit curt sounding, and Joy arches an eyebrow, an amused smile settling on her lips – the leather of her suit squeaks a little as she crosses her arms and Strangelove looks her up and down, mind racing immediately with several inquiries – why is it that she has not been given better armour to deal with today’s mission? What is she going to do in case of injuries? They will have limited supplies and she is not going to be protected.

She clasps her hands together, her eyes hidden away behind her glasses while The Boss stares back away from her and up towards the rising sun, to its golden magnificence that paints over her in a godly light – and she hums. “You still don’t want me to go on this mission, do you?” The Boss says matter-of-factly, her tone unbothered – just like before when she was been explaining away the reason behind why she has rejected being stopped by Strangelove.

“I would like to, but I know better than to.” She says simply, blandly, not much of an answer if you ask her, but Joy seems happy with that and she nods absentmindedly, eyes still focusing on the light outside. “Will you really not listen to me?” she asks, even if she has answered her own question already, and The Boss turns to look at her with a small, sad smile on her face.

Something almost pitying, yet definitely understanding, her entire posture relaxed and easy, as if there is nothing in the world that will bother the woman even though they both know that that is just a show – The Boss has images to keep, personalities to play out, and Strangelove cannot ask her to stop. But still, _still;_ she wishes a part of The Boss that is discomforted by this mission, by the risks it presents, will take over and she will go back to their mission leaders and inform them of her desire to quit.

They both know it is too late.

“I’ve already told you, doctor Strangelove,” The Boss says, her entire body turning towards the window and she walks up towards it, the light hiding away her expression from Strangelove, “I’m going to go. There’s no reason for you to worry – I can take whatever they throw my way, and I am more than qualified. You’re watching over me, aren’t you?”

Her throat tightens up, dried from the mounting stress. “Yes,” she says tersely, “but I still think we shouldn’t risk it – perhaps someone who is healthier, and has more specific training –”

Footsteps echo in the hallway, empty save for the two of them, and the sounds are so loud that they ring in Strangelove’s ears. A hand rests on her shoulder, The Boss looking into her eyes with such a determined glint in her eyes that Strangelove almost feels silly for having doubted her in the first place, a stern voice in the back of her head lecturing her in the first place for thinking so lowly of The Boss, but the logical one immediately takes over – a dialogue forming in the back of her head as it reminds her that even the most skilled of human beings are vulnerable to the failures of machinery.

“I’ll be fine.” The Boss says, firm, as if demanding no further arguments about this, and Strangelove looks into her with gaping open mouth and words that refuse to roll out, to let the other know how she feels, and Strangelove is rooted in place while the other woman claps down onto her shoulder several times before she pushes herself away.

 At that very moment – something overcomes her. A sense of loneliness that hits, a dread creeping behind the back of her head and around the edge of her vision, and Strangelove’s feet and arms are moving before she can think about it. Her arms wrap around The Boss and she takes her into a tight hug, hands clasping at the back of her suit and she tenses up in Strangelove’s embrace.  For a moment, she wonders if she has made a mistake – but then Joy holds her back, returns the embrace, holding her protectively like a mother would her child, and perhaps this isn’t entirely what she wants – but it is something, something that is better nothing at all, and something irrational in her tells her that perhaps this really will be the last time that she will ever see The Boss ever again.

 The Boss lets her go, pats her shoulders a few times, then pushes aside so that she can begin her warm-up routine before she then takes away for her mission, getting ready to pilot the aircraft that makes Strangelove’s stomach churn with anxiety… yet, the worst part of it all has to be the fact that Strangelove is right.

She never does see The Boss ever again.


End file.
